Often times, our teams must get creative when it comes to cost saving measures on projects. For the CTH D Buffalo Lake Causeway Reconstruction project, the team was practical in their approach to the budget.
Established working relationships among Marquette County, contractor, and KL staff were leveraged to keep the project on budget. Marquette County identified areas where local forces could be used, minimizing their costs. The project also leveraged partial funding through the Wisconsin Department of Transportation’s (WisDOT’s) Local Roads Improvement Program.
KL Engineering designed the project to include recycled materials whenever possible. This included the use of locally sourced woodchips as backfill for the project. The decision to use woodchips as backfill was not only cost effective but was also a sustainable choice.
Strong cost control measures, combined with strategic use of local labor and materials, maximized the value of available public funds. By integrating sustainability objectives with practical budget management, the project delivered long-term benefits without unnecessary cost escalation.
This project was honored with a 2026 APWA WI Public Works Project of the Year Award, as well as a 2026 ACEC WI Engineering Excellence Best of State Award.
